ECB on the spelling of Maria Skłodowska-Curie's surname: it was not intended to decide on her origins

"Maria Curie (née Skłodowska)" is a temporary spelling of the researcher's surname, adopted for communication purposes; it was not intended to determine her origin, the press service of the European Central Bank (ECB) told PAP. The decision on whether Skłodowska-Curie will appear on the euro banknote will be made by the end of 2026.

The ECB is preparing to issue a new series of euro banknotes. The bank has proposed that they feature motifs related to European culture, or birds and rivers. In the "cultural" series, the 20-euro banknote would feature Polish researcher Marie-Curie Skłodowska.

The obverse of the new banknote would feature the image of "Marie Curie (née Skłodowska)", as stated in the ECB press release, while the reverse would feature "a school or university with a teacher and young students, as well as tables with notebooks and books."

The reduced version of the name caught the attention of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, which, in an appeal to the ECB, called for the Polish spelling of the Polish researcher's name and surname to be included on the banknote.

In a letter to ECB President Christine Lagarde, Minister Marcin Kulasek emphasized that choosing a full name is not just a formal matter, but "a symbol of recognition for our shared European identity, history, and heritage." The Ministry of Finance, in turn, announced that it is raising the issue of including the Polish Nobel Prize winner's name in contacts with the ECB and at meetings of the bank's working groups.

The ECB press service emphasized in an interview with PAP that the decision on whether the image of Maria Skłodowska-Curie will appear on the banknote at all has not yet been made. This depends on the final decision regarding the motif to be featured on the new banknote series.

"It is not yet known whether the new banknotes will depict cultural figures or birds. This decision is expected to be made by the end of 2026," a bank spokesman told PAP. "If a scientist were to appear on a banknote, the decision to include her name would be made after a broad and comprehensive discussion," he assured.

He added that the current version is used only in the bank's communications. "It is a provisional version and certainly not final. It was not intended to be used as a basis for determining origin or nationality," he emphasized.

In a statement on the matter, the Ministry of Science emphasized that the decision to use only the French surname "Curie" or the French spelling "Marie Curie" diminishes Poland's contribution to the scientist's European heritage and scientific identity. It also noted that other historical figures to be featured on euro banknotes, such as Miguel de Cervantes and Ludwig van Beethoven, retained their original names and surnames, which "further highlights the unequal treatment of the Polish Nobel Prize winner."

Magdalena Cedro (PAP)

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